Atlantic Cape Community College’s Cape May County Campus will be the home to 4-H members on March 13, 14, 16, and 17th as 4-Hers give their annual public presentations.
Last year, 114 members of the Cape May County 4-H Youth Development Program performed their 4-H public presentations before volunteer judges from the community and their fellow club members and adult leaders during the annual event that 4-H members are required to do each year.
4-H members may choose from four types of presentations: demonstration, illustrated talk, formal speech and performing arts. Even the youngest members of the 4-H family, kindergarten through third grade Cloverbuds, are given the opportunity to try their hands at speaking in front of a group. Their requirements are much easier, three to five minutes as opposed to the eight to 15 minutes expected of more seasoned youth members.
4-H Public Presentations will be judged using the Danish System, which rates the performance of competitors compared to a standard of achievement, not to one another. Ratings are excellent, very good, good and fair.
Teen members who achieve a score of excellent from the judges will be invited to compete at the 4-H State Public Presentations Program in June on the Cook/Douglass Campus of Rutgers University in New Brunswick.
Public presentations have long been an integral part of the 4-H “Learning by Doing” approach to youth development. Linda Horner, Cape May County 4-H Program Coordinator said, “Each year the 4-H Youth Development Program offers this opportunity for 4-H members to develop their skills in public speaking as well as the chance to overcome their fears. I am always impressed to see how our members grow and improve each year.”
For more information about the CMC 4-H Youth Development Program, please call 465-5115, ext. 605, visit cmc4h.com or like us on Facebook at Cape May County 4-H Foundation.
The 4-H Youth Development Program is part of Rutgers Cooperative Extension. 4-H educational programs are offered to all youth, grades K-13, on an age-appropriate basis, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.